So You Enjoyed Bridgerton and You’d Like More

Content note: This list contains spoilers for season 1 of the Bridgerton Netflix series and briefly discusses a sexual assault scene.

Everyone’s just so gosh darn pretty! Netflix

So you enjoyed the recent Netflix Bridgerton series . . .

A lot of other people did too! In fact, it was confirmed that it’s Netflix’s biggest original series ever.

Some of us may have enjoyed it with some reservations. And you know what? That’s fine. Other writers have covered the rape scene in episode 6, and I’ll let their words stand. Also, let’s not forget that in the original books, everyone was white, and sometimes changing the casting worked extremely well and sometimes it didn’t quite land the way they wanted. (Patricia A. Matthewan wrote an excellent article for the Los Angeles Review of Books on that topic, mostly laudatory.) To be quite honest, I was a little skeptical when I found out that the first of the standard bestselling Regency-set historical romances to be adapted for television would be this one, because, well, the scene’s in the original book, and it’s not really handled any better there. (In fact, it’s worse.) That having been said, the casting itself was perfect—I didn’t think I could love Lady Danbury more than I did after reading the books, and yet here I am.

If your entire experience was soured by That Scene and its crappy aftermath, hey, I get it, and this might not be the list for you. If you liked everything else about Bridgerton and deeply wish the creators hadn’t done that, then here—have some books.

But have a cat picture first. Stephanie Cranford

First things first: you should really read some Beverly Jenkins, because if you did have a sour taste in your mouth about Simon’s treatment, her books will absolutely wash it out and then some. Even if you just loved Simon and want happy stories about Black folks in big, pretty dresses and smart jackets (you do), Ms. Bev’s been writing them as long as anyone. Start anywhere. No, literally, anywhere. Maybe Night Hawk—I liked that one a lot.

I’ll wait.

Tea for two, and two for tea . . . Avon Books

Okay, so you’re on the reserve list for her books at the library. Cool. Sometimes you have to wait for amazing things. In the meantime, I’ve got plenty of other recs.

So you watched Bridgerton and . . .

You want some stuff just like like it, but maybe written more recently

It’s been over 20 years since The Duke and I, the first Bridgerton book, was published. Series author Julia Quinn published a new book earlier this year, and so did a lot of her contemporaries, but here are some authors who started publishing more recently than, say, 1994.

Tessa Dare

I’ve recommended one of Tessa Dare’s books before—the one with the historical-era LARPers in it—but the entire Spindle Cove series is lovely. Start with A Night to Surrender, the first in that series.

Sherry Thomas

I have also recommended this author before. Start with The Luckiest Lady in London if you want the historicals, but she’s also got a whole bunch of fantasy and fantasy-romance (including a Mulan retelling), if you’re willing to get distracted at this point.

Berkley

Sarah MacLean

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is the place to start. Or maybe A Rogue by Any Other Name. Also, she’s quite funny on Twitter.

Kate Bateman

Reviews described To Catch an Earl as a heist book like Ocean’s 11 (or 8) and The Italian Job, and that sold me on it.

You mostly loved the awesome fashion and Lady Whistledown

Eloisa James

Although most of Eloisa James’s stuff is set 20 to 30 years before Bridgerton era, and some even before that, believe me: the Georgian era makes for some huge dresses, huge hairdos, and huge gossip. So much gossip. Start with Duchess in Love or Much Ado about You.

Lydia San Andres

A Summer for Scandal, set a little later than Bridgerton and on a fictional Caribbean island, has a gossip writer, a scandalous serial writer, and a gorgeous cover.

Lydia San Andres

Cat Sebastian, who’s recommended later on this list, has her own novel with an advice columnist if that’s exactly what you’re going for, but there are also a couple of anthologies (quartets of novellas) called The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back.

You wished the inclusive cast would have meant inclusive stories

Two notes here. First, all of these authors fit in other categories as well. And second, while there are white and gentile authors writing characters of color and Jewish characters, this short bit of list is dedicated to some of the nonwhite and Jewish authors writing in this subgenre.

Vanessa Riley

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby is a recent release, and while the cover suggests a more contemporary rom com, it’s definitely historical (albeit partially in first person). Vanessa Riley’s got heroes and heroines with interesting backgrounds, including a shoemaker (Swept Away), a modiste for pregnant women (B is for Beautiful Secrets, part of the Love by the Letters anthology), and the most famous actor in London (The Bashful Bride).

Zebra

Courtney Milan

The Duke Who Didn’t, Courtney Milan’s latest release, is very much what you’re looking for. Both main charaters are of Chinese descent in Victorian England, and also there’s so much awesome food in the story. All of her historicals are great; the Brothers Sinister books (start with The Duchess War) are a good entry point. There’s also Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure, which is about two older heroines getting another chance at love.

Rose Lerner

Lerner’s novel True Pretenses has a Jewish hero, Ash, in a small town, wooing the daughter of a Tory (conservative) member of Parliament. You can see how that might not go well. Most of Rose Lerner’s work tends to deal more with the working class than the upper class in the small town of Lively St. Lemeston. She also wrote a novella with a Jewish heroine and hero in the Hamilton’s Battalion anthology, which also includes works by Courtney Milan and Alyssa Cole.

Alyssa Cole

The Loyal League series, set during the American Civil War (and therefore some years later than Bridgerton), confronts race issues straight on, as you might guess. While I rave about Alyssa Cole’s contemporaries, her historical-set romances are some of my favorites as well, with lovely, intricate relationships between her heroines and heroes.

You wished it had been gayer

If you wanted Benedict’s chemistry with Lord Granville to be setup for something other than a future plot point, you’re not alone.

Avon

KJ Charles

KJ Charles’s Society of Gentlemen series gives a very different view of the Regency era by covering more of the political and social issues than most other books set during that timeframe. Her Band Sinister, on the other hand, is very much a melodrama. They’re both very gay.

Cat Sebastian

Even Cat Sebastian’s f/m couples are queer, I promise. Content note for the aftereffects of childhood sexual assault in the Sedgwick series, but gosh, I recommend them so much. At the beginning of the pandemic, I read everything she has out for escapism even though I’d already read it before. Try A Duke in Disguise if you want an advice columnist (whose main advice is, roughly, “dump him”), and check out this cover reveal and excerpt for her next book, due in June of 2021.

Olivia Waite

I’ve already recommended Olivia Waite’s The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics. Its companion novel, The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, came out recently, and I preordered it but have been saving it for a rainy day. One of the heroines is a beekeeper. And there’s a third book, called The Hellion’s Waltz, due in May 2021!

You want something a little shorter to start with

You’re in luck! Novellas are absolutely a thing in this subgenre. There are a couple of Lady Whistledown novella quartets that I mentioned above. There’s Hamilton’s Battalion, a collection of three American Revolution novellas by Courtney Milan, Alyssa Cole, and Rose Lerner, also mentioned above. And The Brightest Day, a Juneteenth historical romance anthology, looks pretty great, with all-star authors Kianna Alexander, Alyssa Cole, Lena Hart, and Piper Huguley.

Courtesy of the authors

There are also Harlequin Historicals, which tend to be more like 250 pages than 350, if you want something just a touch longer. Jeannie Lin wrote a number of Tang Dynasty–set Harlequin Historicals, which is a little out of period, but they do typically have gorgeous clothing, intricate social rituals, and swords.

Wait, swords?

Yes. The first one of hers is Butterfly Swords.

You maybe didn’t need that much sex

Hey, valid. You want Edith Layton. This late author wrote some very emotional closed-door (PG-13) romances that are in the same mold as the Bridgerton books, and they’re often delightful. Try The Return of the Earl, although note that some of her other books have aged less well than this one.

Avon Books

You might also enjoy traditional Regencies (as opposed to historical romance), which typically don’t include sex. I don’t have any recommendations for those, other than the ones written by Edith Layton (The Duke’s Wager is highly rated) and Stephanie Laurens (mentioned later—try The Reasons for Marriage) because it’s not my preferred subgenre, but now you have a search term.

Also, Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer wrote a trio of epistolary novels, starting with Sorcery and Cecelia, that you might enjoy, if you’re okay with a little magic with your Regency (more on that in a minute).

You thought there could have been more sex

Some of the authors on this list include more sex than others, I’ll grant you, and Julia Quinn is a touch on the sweeter side of the scale. But here are a few who write something much closer to erotica.

Nicola Davidson

Start with Surrender to Sin, largely set in a fictional London’s most notorious sex club. Fun fact: it’s based on three actual clubs that existed at the time!

Stacy Reid

Reviews indicate that the first book in the Wedded by Scandal series, Accidentally Compromising the Duke, contains too much sex, so . . . enjoy!

Entangled Publishing

Kate Pearce

Try The Sinner’s Club, an erotic f/m/m romance, or Educating Elizabeth, the first book in the Diable Delamere series, if you want to steam your ears off.

You want some magic to go with your pretty dresses and smart jackets

Note that not all of these have Bridgerton-level sex in them.

Mary Robinette Kowal

You may have already read her Lady Astronaut books, but try the Glamourist Histories, starting with Shades of Milk and Honey. I can’t possibly say enough about her dedication to detail, so I’m going to end with this: the Doctor shows up in each book. Yes, that Doctor.

Stephanie Burgis

The Harwood Spellbook series follows a family in an alternate 19th century where powerful upper-class female politicians marry gentleman mages (except the ones who marry gentlewoman mages). It starts with a novella, Spellswept—available on its own but also in the delightful Underwater Ballroom Society—and continues with the currently seasonally appropriate Snowspelled.

Zen Cho

Sorcerer to the Crown is the first of Zen Cho’s (so far!) two Regency-set historical fantasies, which have rather Austen-esque romance in them as well as a lot of intrigue. The audio version is excellent as well!

Ace Books

Lee Welch

For something a little later (Victorian era) and a little gayer, try Salt Magic, Skin Magic. Lord Thornby’s father has trapped him on his estate with magic, and industrial magician John Blake happens by. Also, there are faeries.

EE Ottoman

EE Ottoman’s Mechanical Universe series, starting with A Matter of Disagreement, is one I’ve recommended before. If you like the enemies-to-lovers element of Bridgerton, you like university settings, and you’d like some steampunk in your story, well, definitely start here.

You just wanted it to be . . . more?

First of all, try The Countess by Lynsay Sands, which is basically Weekend at Bernie‘s but a romance novel. The book defies any more description.

Avon Books

Or if what you want is more big emotion and lots of ellipses and alpha men and so much sex and a 20-something book family saga, go for Stephanie Laurens’s Cynster series. The first one is Devil’s Bride.

Also, if you want more intensity: Scarlett Peckham. The Rakess is, to be honest, not an easy read, given the grief and alcoholism and pregnancy fears of the main characters, but if you want the catharsis, try it.

And last but certainly not least . . .

You want more content exactly like Bridgerton

You’re in luck! There are a million more just by Julia Quinn! The actual Bridgerton series has eight novels (one for each of the Bridgerton children), plus shorts and prequels.

I have to admit, my favorite of hers isn’t a Bridgerton book exactly—it’s Just like Heaven, which is about one of the Smythe-Smiths, a family known to the Bridgertons and oddly left out of the TV show. (I guess no one needed to go to a musicale with lousy musicians!) And honestly, I’d skip The Duke and I anyway. You’ve seen Bridgerton; you know what happens. My favorite of the Bridgerton books is probably Francesca’s, When He Was Wicked, but content note for that one and for Eloise’s (To Sir Phillip, with Love), right before it, for death of a spouse.

You might also like some other late-’90s and early-2000s historical romance! Here are a few of my favorites that I think are somewhat stylistically reminiscent of the Bridgerton series.

I own all eight of them, but I could only find six when I went hunting. Sorry, Colin and Hyacinth. Stephanie Cranford

Lisa Kleypas

St. Vincent, reformed asshole rake. Marcus, Earl of Westcliffe. Mr. Hunt. Lisa Kleypas’s books are typically set a touch later, so you get a little more taste of where we’re going next in history, with the clash between the moneyed middle class and the landowners who don’t want to go into actual trade, ew. The first book in the Wallflowers series is Secrets of a Summer Night.

I should note that St. Vincent, one of Romancelandia’s favorite book boyfriends, did kidnap a woman to try to force her to marry him, so Kleypas’s books aren’t 100 percent free of dubious consent—which is true of many of these, mostly in the form of “kiss her until she agrees”—but one of them does contain one of the very few historicals I’ve seen with a character using a condom (Again the Magic, sort of a prequel to the Wallflowers series).

Suzanne Enoch

Start with The Rake. It’s solidly over-the-top, and I’m given to understand the author made mistakes with the horse-related stuff in the books, but the third one of the Lessons in Love books, England’s Perfect Hero, has a hero with awful chronic pain and PTSD from being a prisoner of war in the Napoleonic Wars. So if that’s your jam, try it. She also wrote one of the novellas in the Lady Whistledown anthologies.

Sabrina Jeffries

My favorite is actually The Study of Seduction, which she published in 2016, and if you want something that handles recovery from an off-screen sexual assault very well, this is absolutely it. However, if you want to avoid that, try Never Seduce a Scoundrel, the first in the School for Heiresses series, which came out in 2006.

Loretta Chase

Start with Lord of Scoundrels. The hero, the Marquess of Dain, is another of Romancelandia’s favorite book boyfriends, but more delightful than him is Jessica Trent—the woman who takes one look at him, pats him on his head, and immediately has him wrapped around her finger.

So! That’s a lot of books. Where are you going to start?